T. Baden Hardstaff Limited, otherwise known as Hardstaff Haulage, is one of the latest group of successful companies to join a leading edge scheme designed to help industry improve its safety record.
The Nottingham based firm recently received accreditation from SAFEcontractor, a programme which recognises very high standards of health and safety practise amongst UK contractors.
Employing approximately 200 people, T. Baden Hardstaff Limited is principally involved in the road transport and distribution industry. The company is environmentally aware and operates low carbon vehicles with natural gas and biomethane as the primary fuel source using dual fuel technologies developed in-house by the Hardstaff Group. “Dual fuel significantly reduces our reliance on crude oil and gives the largest CO2 saving of all other engine technologies on the market today” quoted Andy Jackson, Transport Manager.
The company’s application for SAFEcontractor accreditation was driven by the need for uniform standard across the business and Trevor Fletcher, Managing Director of the Hardstaff Group said, “Organisations are facing increasing demands to demonstrate their safety management standards, and our accreditation to SAFEcontractor validates our competency and commitment to health and safety”.
SAFEcontractor accreditation is expected to enhance the company’s ability to attract new contracts and its commitment to safety will be viewed positively by its insurers when the company liability policy is up for renewal.
SAFEcontractor is operated by international safety, health and environmental risk management specialists, the National Britannia Group. The system is applicable to most sectors although it is particularly relevant to food manufacturers, property, facilities management, retail and leisure sectors, all of which are big users of contract services.
Darran Hughes, Operations Director for SAFEcontractor at National Britannia said, “Major organisations can no longer run the risk of employing contractors who are not able to prove that they have sound health and safety policies. More companies need to understand the importance of adopting good risk management in the way that T Baden Hardstaff Limited has done. The firms’ high standard has set an example, which hopefully will be followed by other companies within the sector”.
Under the SAFEcontractor system, businesses undergo a vetting process, which examines health and safety and safety procedures and their track record for safe practice. Those companies meeting the high standard are included on a database, which is accessible to registered users only via a website, safecontractor. com.
Employer-organisations who sign up to the scheme can access the database, which enables them to vet potential contractors before they even set foot on site. These employers agree that, as users of the scheme, they will engage only those who have received accreditation.
Over 100 major nation-wide businesses, from several key sectors, have signed up to use the scheme when selecting contractors for services such as building, cleaning, maintenance, refurbishment or electrical and mechanical work.
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